Union “Blacks” House For Puzzle Prize

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29739, 5 February 1962, Page 12

Union “Blacks” House For Puzzle Prize

The Canterbury Carpenters’ Union has declared black a house being built in Memorial avenue as a prize in a crossword competition. The union objects to the employment of two men by Beazley. South Island, Ltd., a subsidiary of the North Island firm of Beazley Homes. Ltd., on the basis of a labour-only contract.

The Independent Grocers’ Alliance, Ltd., has just announced that three identical three-bedroomed houses are being built on freehold sections in Auckland, Hamilton, and Christchurch. The winner of a crossword competition will have the choice of these. An exhibition of the houses is planned for April. The prizes for the competition are said to be valued about £BOOO.

The secretary of the Canterbury Carpenters’. Joiners'. Bricklayers’ and Plasterers’

Union (Mr F. L. Langley) said yesterday that his union had the full support of the Federation of Labour. He said he would seek the support of sub-contracting firms and suppliers to prevent piece-work and labour-only contracts. He has asked the New Zealand Seamen’s Union to refuse to ship any more timber from Mount Maunganui for Beazley Homes, Ltd. The secretary of the building firm, Mr R. Genett, of Tauranga, said last night that Beazleys were putting up 1500 houses a year in the North Island on the labouronly contract system and the men found that they earned more money this way. An Auckland builder said, in a telephone interview with “The Press” last evening, that almost all houses being built by large firms there are constructed under a labour contract. The contracts, fixing a price for the job, are let usually to two men. he said, and two good tradesmen can earn more than £2O a week. The faster and more skilfully they work the faster they earn their money, he said. They can work as long as they like. The two men employed on the Memorial avenue house were recently approached by union officials. Mr Langley said: “The men can work all hours without payment of overtime rates They receive no payment for time lost as the result of bad weather or payment for other provisions of the award, including holidays.

“Labour conditions won after years of effort can be lost, It is futile to attempt to stop the practice by legal process, although the law is opposed to this form of employment through the provisions existing in all building trade awards,” said Mr Langley.